WINDHOEK – A police officer was stabbed 14 times in the Katutura police station cells while on duty conducting a routine count of inmates and dispensing medication to those not in good health. The incident took place on the night of April 30. The police officer is now fighting for his life in the Windhoek state hospital’s intensive care unit.
Police say two inmates sneaked up on the police officer from behind, threw a blanket over him and stabbed him 14 times with a sharp object. One of the other inmates was stabbed while trying to rescue the police officer.
“The inmate tried to defend the officer. They have now threatened to kill him if he talks to the police. The police only found that the inmate was wounded in the morning from the blood on his shirt. We took him to the hospital where he was admitted. He later opened up and told us what actually happened,” said the Katutura police station commander, Chief Inspector Ishmael Basson.
It is alleged that the two suspected inmates overpowered the police officer and took the keys to the cells. They managed to escape at around 22h00 – 23h00 but one was re-arrested at midnight while the other suspect was re-arrested yesterday.
Basson said they suspect that police officers are somehow involved in getting sharp objects as well as drugs into the cells because it is impossible for inmates to have them without assistance from outside. Family members and friends of the inmates also sneak in objects concealed in food and shoes.
“We have caught people doing that and to those doing that, please refrain as it is also a crime,” said Basson.
By John Muyamba